Effects of Compost on Soil Fertility Parameters in Mid-And Long-Term Experiments (original) (raw)

Abstract

To evaluate the influence of compost on soil fertility and plant growth, several medium term and long term field experiments with composts were conducted in different crops. In two maize experiments, one in a sandy and one in a loamy soil, the influence of different composts and digestates on soil parameters and plant growth were investigated. All products increased pH of the soil and improved the biological soil activity (e.g. enzymatic activities). Immature compost immobilized nitrogen and reduced plant growth. Organic nitrogen fertilizer added during cultivation, could compensate a growth depression. A full factorial experiment in a 2-years-old organic apple orchard was conducted from 2001-2007. The factors tested in all 9 possible combinations were: i) biowaste compost, ii) commercial organic N-fertilizer, iii) foliar N-fertilizer. In spring, highest values for mineralized N (N min) in the tree strip were found in the treatment with commercial organic Nfertilizer, with addition of compost it was 75%, and biowaste compost alone reached 50 % of this value on average, whereas unfertilized plots had lowest but still sufficient values for the same tree performance and fruit nutrition as fertilized plots. N-Fertlisation plus compost resulted. In the DOK long-term field trial, three farming systems are compared since 1978: i) mineral and organic fertilisers, synthetic pesticides; ii), organic fertilisers, mechanical weeding and biological disease and pest control; and iii) composted manure and bio-dynamic preparations. A conventional system with mineral fertilisers only and an unfertilized treatment serve as controls. Soil fertility mirrored by soil biological parameters, soil biodiversity and soil organic matter are higher in the organic systems and render these systems less dependent from external inputs.

Loading...

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

References (6)

  1. Alef K., Nannipieri P. (1995). Methods in applied soil microbiology and biochemistry. Academic press Limited, London, 576 pp.
  2. Inbar Y., Boehm M.J. and Hoitink H.A.J. (1991). Hydrolysis of Fluorescein Diacetate in Sphagnum peat container media for predicting suppressiveness to damping-off caused by Pythium ultimum. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 23: 479-483.
  3. Fuchs J.G., Galli U., Schleiss K., Wellinger A. (2001): ASCP Guidelines 2001: Quality criteria for composts and digestates from biodegradable waste management. Published by the Association of Swiss Compost Plants (ASCP) in collaboration with the Swiss Biogas Forum, 11 pp.
  4. Fuchs J.G., Larbi M. (2005). Disease control with quality compost in pot and field trials. Paper presented at I International Conference on SOIL and COMPOST ECO-BIOLOGY, León - Spain, 15.-17. Sep. 2004, page pp. 157-166.
  5. SoilACE, Biomasa Peninsular, c/Cartagena, 58, 1 , SP-Madrid 28028.
  6. Mäder, P., Fließbach, A., Dubois, D., Gunst, L., Fried, P. & Niggli, U. (2002) Soil fertility and biodiversity in organic farming. Science 296, 1694-1697.